


Lost and Afraid To Admit It

by Kivea



Category: South Park
Genre: Awkward Romance, Bad Flirting, Friendship, Getting Together, Humor, M/M, Moving, New Places, Romantic Comedy, meet cute, wounded pride
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:22:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25579528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivea/pseuds/Kivea
Summary: Craig winds up lost. Lost in his new city, unable to contact the one person he actually knows. His only option is to message a random contact he doesn't remember listed as 'cute guy from bar', and hope that they never see each other again to save his pride of admitting how lost he is.He didn't expect the cute guy from the bar to be an old childhood friend of theirs, or that the friend was someone Jimmy spent a lot of time with.
Relationships: Kyle Broflovski/Craig Tucker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	Lost and Afraid To Admit It

Craig let out a sigh as he stared down at the few bars of signal strength on his phone. Out of all the times to run out of data, this was absolutely not the best. The total lack of WiFi in his new flat left him using what he had on his phone and now, when he actually needed it, he was all out. He couldn’t just have waited to play mobile games, or stream videos while he tried to sleep. He just _had_ to indulge. 

He could hear Jimmy’s chortling voice in the back of his head already, advising him that he would regret the excessive usage. Well, he sure as hell was regretting it now. 

He glared up at the sky, like the sun burning in the sky was the source of his stupidity. It wasn’t helping. Maybe heat stroke had played a part. Out of all the days to get lost in this new city… 

Running a hand through hair that was growing wet from the seat he brought up Jimmy’s number, pressing the call button in another fruitless attempt to contact him. 

Voicemail. Again. 

He scoured his contacts, trying to think of who would be able to help him. He _hated_ asking people for help, especially in situations like this, asking for directions of all things. He didn’t need to admit to some random stranger that he was lost. He couldn’t face the embarrassment. When he’d walked into a shop to ask, the clerk had looked at him and in his panic he flipped them off and left. 

No, fuck no. He wasn’t admitting it to someone’s face. 

He scanned through as his thumb hovered over one other option he’d considered and not yet used. He didn’t want to have to. 

There was one number of someone he’d met since moving. The only number of someone who lived here, but it didn’t have a name. Instead the contact read ‘cute guy from bar’, with no other indications of who it was. He knew which night it had happened because there was a text there the early hours of the morning to wish him a safe trip home that he had responded in kind, both a little jumbled in a drunken rush, and he hadn’t used it since. 

He didn’t want this to be the second time he used it, but if he was honest it wasn’t like he’d ever message the stranger for anything else. And at least in text form it wasn’t admitting it in person. 

The text was simple. To the point. Just a little bit rambly. Maybe he was starting to panic. 

_I don’t know if you remember me_ _cuz_ _I don’t remember you but I’m lost and you’re the only contact in my phone who can help._

The response was pretty instantaneous, thank Christ, but entirely unhelpful. 

_You sure you got the right person?_

_Ur just down in my phone as cute_ _guy_ _from bar like I’m sorry for forgetting ur name but I need help._

The response was less instantaneous. It took so long that Craig was actually about to put his phone away and subject himself to walking around in the heat until Jimmy called him back. But before it got back to his pocket his phone buzzed with an incoming message and he was glad to see a straight forward response. 

_No worries. Tell me what’s around you?_

So he did. With some brief text the guy managed to figure out where he was exactly, before asking where he wanted to be. Five minutes later he had a step-by-step guide from google maps, taking him from one point to the closest bus stop he could use for his bus. 

He hadn’t wanted to give the guy his address. Not some random bloke. 

_Thanks, dude. I appreciate it._

The reply was just a smiley face, short and sweet and to the point. He pocketed his phone and got on the bus, not thinking much more of the exchange. He considered maybe he should do something to say thank you after causing a fuss, but he didn’t particularly want to face whoever the guy was head on. 

\--

He never planned to tell Jimmy about what had happened. It was hard to keep it a secret though, considering the brunette questioned why he had so many missed calls when Craig served up their dinner. He groaned out and gave the briefest of brief explanations for what happened, not really wanting to get too into it. Jimmy had a good chortle about the whole thing at least, even if it was at his expense. 

“Did you-d-d-did you just wander about until you found a bus?” 

“I found help.” 

“Help from wh-who?” 

“Just some guy.” 

Jimmy delivered another punchline to his already wounded ego, and Craig threatened to put poison in the food next time he cooked. Given the laidback grin that was spread across the brunette’s face, it wasn’t a threat that was taken very seriously. 

The next couple of weeks left him feeling like he was in the clear. He ended up never properly saying thank you to the cute guy from the bar and instead put most of his time and energy into properly integrating himself into his new workplace. Working was something that was familiar in this new city with new faces, only one of which he knew. Mechanical engineering was the sort of thing that he could trust not to change and turn his world upside-down. Grounded him. 

Jimmy decided that he’d spent too much time burying himself into the new place as a hermit. 

He ended up being dragged out to the comedy bar that Jimmy worked part time at. What had started off as the occasional routine became hosting nights and helping organise events, something that kept him busy, especially considering his fulltime job was working for a newspaper. 

Jimmy insisted they both went together on one of his days off so that Craig could stop pretending no one else existed and finally speak to another human being. Craig scoffed and labelled his friend a workaholic who couldn’t even stay away from one of his works when he was off. 

“It’s what happen-what happen-what happens when you love your job!” 

They sat at a round table next to each other and Craig vaguely registered that Jimmy explained they would be meeting people there so that Craig could interact with someone who wasn’t him for once. Even despite that, there were a few people who worked there who stopped in order to say hello to them while they waited. 

When a redhead approached, it threw Craig for a spin. He looked up with raised brows as a familiar face began to approach the table with a smile, Jimmy pulling himself up to greet the man with a hug and a clap on the back. Then the man slid into the seat opposite, giving Craig a nod in greeting. 

It was Kyle Broflovski; someone he knew didn’t live in South Park anymore, and he knew that Jimmy had been good friends with at college, but he didn’t know lived around here still. He’d grown up since the last time, going from being an awkward, lanky teenager, to a confident adult who dressed for himself rather than his parents. 

It suited him. It was a nice glow up. 

“Hey,” Craig greeted, raising a brow as the redhead sat with them at the table. “You live here too?” 

Kyle laughed, wobbly as his eyes flittered around. “Yeah, I do.” 

Jimmy’s hand clasped onto his shoulder, the brunette grinning wide as he did. “Dude, how drunk _we_ _-we_ _re you_ last time we went out? Kyle was with us! We saw him!” 

Craig scowled at his friend. “The fuck are you talking about?” 

“When we went to Passion! I knew you were pretty-pr-pretty wasted by the time he arrived, but I didn’t realise you were _that_ wasted!” 

Craig looked across at the man in question, eyes wide as his own realisation settled in. He remembered hanging out with someone, thought he didn’t quite remember who. He still didn’t, and part of his brain was denying what Jimmy was saying. Maybe they met Kyle, but then he left to go hang out with someone else who ended up with their number in his phone. 

“You even exchanged numbers!” 

_Shit._

“Uh, yeah, it’s fine,” Kyle insisted. “I’m pretty sure everyone was wasted at Passion, dude. Why you ever think anyone remembers what happens there is beyond me.” 

Jimmy chortled. “That’s true! Wait a sec – hey! L-l-long time no see!” 

Craig watched as Jimmy summoned some of his friends, waving them over to the table. A collection of comedy club regulars who introduced themselves to him and asked him superficial questions about how he was enjoying being in the city. 

“Sh-shuffle over Kyle,” Jimmy requested. “I’m sure-I’m sure there’s space for us all!” 

“Oh, are you sure?” one of the girls cooed. “I don’t want to cramp you all in here!” 

“They don’t mind getting close! They’re friends!” 

Craig grit his teeth as Kyle shuffled onto the chair next to him, scooting over as more people joined them at the table. The arrangement ended with Kyle’s shoulder pressed to his own, the both of them sat in silence as Jimmy took the metaphorical stage with the others sat at their table, spinning a story. 

“I can’t believe this,” Craig muttered as he stared at the wall on the opposite side of the building. “You’re the guy.” 

“Yeah, I – uh – I’m the guy,” Kyle replied. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. When you texted, well, you took me by surprise.” 

“That doesn’t mean you could’ve said something to save me from this embarrassment.” 

“Yeah, but it was kind of flattering.” 

Craig groaned. 

“You decided it was more important to label me as ‘cute guy’ instead of my actual name, which you know?” 

“Stop, please. I’m begging you.” 

“It’s not a big deal.” 

“It’s totally a big deal,” Craig argued through the heat rising on his face. “I was convinced it was just some guy I hit it off with that I’d never actually have to see. Yet here you are.” 

Kyle cleared his throat in a way that had Craig looking down at him, a boyish smile on his face as he spoke. “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think if I’m the cute guy you met at the bar, you’re the handsome guy I met?” 

He felt the embarrassment rise at the question and promptly stood up. “I’m going to get a drink.” 

Jimmy grinned and raised his hand. “B-be a champ and get me one, will you?” 

When he returned to the table, Kyle was still there, but had engaged in conversation with the person sat on his other side. For most of the night both Jimmy and Kyle let him fade into the background. He sat with his drink and listened to the conversations happening around him, only engaging with Jimmy and his friends when he was directly asked a question. Kyle didn’t speak to him directly again. 

It was nice to watch the brunette in his element, chattering away and shushing everyone when someone took to the stage and start the night. The people who got on the stage ranged from musical acts to stand up, and he did loosen up enough to openly laugh at some of the jokes. 

He only got distracted once or twice by the person sat to his right. 

Kyle really had changed between high school and college. Craig remembered a hot headed nerdy kid who was only seen in the library or on a sports field. The untameable red hair was still there, but it was obvious he put a little more time into his routine to get ready, curls looking less messy and more styled. Bright orange wintery jackets had been replaced by lighter shirts and earthy tones that brought out his eyes a lot more. 

His face was just as expressive as Craig remembered. 

He caught Craig staring once. Craig resolutely refused to look at him for the rest of the night, promising himself to talk to Jimmy the next day about how he did not want to deal with him again. 

\--

Jimmy found it utterly hilarious. Craig had to suffer through sitting there being blatantly laughed at for a solid minute before his friend gave him any sort of sympathy, wiping a tear away from his eye as he did so. 

“It’s not that funny,” Craig insisted. 

“It’s just-just your expression!” Jimmy assured. “That’s what makes it funny.” 

“I’m not hanging out with him again. I’m not hanging out with you again, either, you jackass.” 

“Oh, c’mon, don-don’t be a pussy. I’m sure he doesn’t mind!” 

Thankfully Jimmy didn’t press it, despite his nonchalant words. Craig renamed the contact in his phone so he didn’t have to deal with it again, and continued his life the same way he had been before Jimmy tried to get him involved with people socially. Thankfully the brunette was busy enough that he didn’t often realise how little Craig was going out. 

The thought had been planted in the back of his mind, though. It’s what led him to decide to finally leave and go find something to occupy his time with. Someone at work had recommended him a retro game store on some artsy street in an obscure part of town. 

He set out with a street name and Google. He had data that time at least, so he wasn’t likely to get lost. If you had the internet at your fingertips, the wealth of information that it was, you could get anywhere, right? 

Wrong. Totally, definitely wrong. 

Craig swore as he walked past the same café for the third time in a row. He stopped at the street corner, trying to have a good look around before glancing back down to his phone. The postcode he’d found on Google was absolute _dog shit_ , and of no help whatsoever. It took him to a different street, and he couldn’t see the shop anywhere. He should’ve never trusted someone who’s response to ‘what’s the shop called’ was ‘I don’t know, but you can’t miss it’. 

He startled as his phone buzzed in his hand and a notification popped up along the top of the screen. 

_Don’t Text This Asshole, 15:40_

_Are you okay?_ _You’ve_ _walke_ _d passed this café three times_

He spun round to the café, seeing the Asshole in question sitting at the window, coffee in front of him along with papers. 

It took all of Craig’s nerve to stop himself running away. Instead, he just glared through the window. 

Asshole rolled his eyes at the response and picked up his phone to tap away again. 

_I’m_ _just trying to help dude_

His fingers flew across the screen pad. 

_I’m_ _fine_

_What are you looking for?_

He looked down the street, hoping that the shop would just…magically appear. Just be there and he could put his phone away and pretend he wasn’t lost again. But it didn’t. He was still lost. 

_Some retro game store_

He glanced up towards the window, seeing recognition dawning across the redhead’s face, smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, before he put his phone away. There was a moment where Craig thought the jackass was just going to abandon him, but it was worse than that. 

He started to pack his papers away in his bag and finished his coffee. He was coming outside. 

“You don’t need to show me,” Craig started as soon as the redhead had left the shop door. “You can just – give me directions.” 

“It’s fine!” Kyle’s voice assured, smile on his face. “I’ll take you, it’s like, one of my favourite places! Any excuse to visit.” 

He hated it. He hated literally everything about that day. 

To his credit, Kyle didn’t try to make any awkward conversation. He lead the way through the streets, ducking down into what looked like an alley way, but housed a few doors with open signs and vinyl stickers on the windows, promising they were shops. 

One such had a faded sticker, awning above the door that announced it sold games, and Kyle approached the door and opened it, holding it for Craig. 

It was a cute shop, he guessed, and once Kyle was in he disappeared over to the counter to greet whoever was serving. Proof that he did actually frequent the shop and wasn’t just showing Craig where to go for the sake of it. Made up for the wounded pride. 

He turned his attention to the rows and began to search aimlessly with no real title in mind. 

As much as he thought he was off free, it was a small store, and when Kyle began searching the boxes in the middle of the room, eventually the redhead was opposite him looking. He didn’t try to start conversation, but his presence… 

As much as he hated it, Craig felt guilty. This was a childhood friend, someone who had helped him when he was lost; _twice_. On top of that he was one of Jimmy’s friends. One of his good friends, and Jimmy was the person who had opened his home up to Craig when he needed a place to stay to start his new job. 

“I’m sorry. About the other night.” 

If the words sounded strained, Kyle didn’t comment on it. For a moment Craig thought he wasn’t going to comment at all. 

“It’s fine, dude. Do you…wanna talk about it?” 

“Not really.” 

Kyle let out a frustrated huff. “I don’t have to forgive you, if you’re gonna be an ass.” 

Craig finally met the green eyes, just so he could glare across the space. “Fine. Whatever. I’m – I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” 

“You didn’t make me uncomfortable,” Kyle spoke slowly, tilting his head as he did. “Why do you think…?” 

“You didn’t speak to me for the rest of the night!” 

“Yeah, because I thought _you_ were uncomfortable,” he shrugged. “I…didn’t really know what to do, but only cause I didn’t want to ruin Jimmy’s night.” 

He looked back at the rows of titles he wasn’t paying attention to. “Sounds uncomfortable to me.” 

Kyle meanwhile apparently wanted to abandon all pretence that he was looking for anything, leaning across the space to try get his attention fully again. “Sorry to prove you wrong then. Why did you seem so uncomfortable?” 

“Because I was.” 

Kyle snorted. “Yeah, I got that bit. It’s really not a big deal, the…well, y’know.” 

“Yes,” he grit out. “I know. But I’m…” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t like being lost.” 

A flicker of realisation spread across his face. “Oh. Oh, when you said the thing about thinking you’d never see me again, you meant like, you were counting on it?” 

“Yes, but here you are.” 

Lips pulled up into a lopsided smirk. “Here I am.” 

Craig turned his attention down again and tried to keep his breathing steady. 

“I promise not to tell Jimmy about today then,” Kyle said, tremor of laughter in his voice. “And once I get out the door, I promise I also won’t bring up your habit of getting lost.” 

“I wasn’t lost!” 

Kyle raised a brow in amusement. “Sure you weren’t.” 

The redhead shouted to the front counter a goodbye before he left, bag hanging off his shoulder as he did. Craig watched him leave, eyes narrowed as they trailed from the red curls on top of his head to the filled-out shoulders wrapped in green flannel, to the faded black jeans where his gaze lingered. 

It took him a moment too long to realise what he was doing was checking Kyle out, eyes snapping back to the game titles and mentally scolding himself for perving on the asshole. The last thing he needed to deal with was some crazy chick angry about him checking out her boyfriend. 

\--

After he'd moved in to the same apartment block as Jimmy, he'd taken to helping his friend round the house as a thank you for helping him move in the first place. It included learning to cook, and even if Jimmy complained he didn't socialise enough, he did spend nearly every night round there making dinner for them both.

It came as no surprise to him when one Friday night when he was kicking his shoes off at the door, Jimmy announced there was an extra person coming to join them. It didn't mean he had to be happy about it though. 

"No way, dude." 

"Oh, c'c'c'mon!" Jimmy whined. "It'll be-it'll be f-fun! Boy's night!" 

Craig scoffed. "I've seen far much of his dumb face recently." 

"Why've you got such a problem with-problem with him?" ****

“You know why.”

Jimmy rolled his eyes way too dramatically. “I still think you’re-you’re-you’re being a pussy. I told you; he won't care.” 

“There’s no way he doesn’t care,” Craig said as he buckled down on his stubbornness. “What kind of guy wouldn’t care?!” 

“I-I-!” 

“And don’t just say you wouldn’t care, you wouldn’t know what gay-flirting looks like if it slapped you in the face you’re so heterosexual.” 

Another eye roll, even more dramatic and comedic than the last. “So-so-so you’re embarrassed because you were flirting?” 

Craig choked on his reply. 

Jimmy howled. 

“Fuck you!” he spat out, storming about full tantrum mode as he headed to the kitchen. “This is the day you get your dinner poisoned, asshole!” 

Kyle arrived while he was making food. He could hear the pair of them talking in the living room, getting closer as he started to get the plates ready and strained the pasta. He resisted the urge to turn around and look at them when he heard them in the doorway, the sound of Jimmy’s crutch clicking on the floor. 

“He-here he is!” 

“Oh, dude, you cook?” 

He forced himself not to look over at the redhead, even if he was being addressed directly. “Sort of. I’m learning. Jimmy said after all the help he gave me moving in, I had to start making him dinners.” 

“Gotta-gotta earn your keep somehow!” 

“I don’t live here,” Craig said, looking over long enough to glare at the brunette. 

Jimmy grinned in response. 

“I don’t mind sharing the cooking,” Kyle said with that dumb, friendly smile. “We can take turns, when I’m round. Or I can give you a break from it.” 

“Kyle came-Kyle came-he’s here a lot,” Jimmy supplied. “Not that you’d know, you hermit.” 

“I’m not a hermit,” Craig defended. 

“Sure, whatever you say.” 

“Let’s stop bothering him,” Kyle suggested, straightening himself up from where he was leaning against the archway. “What did you wanna watch while we eat?” 

The pair disappeared again, giving Craig some semblance of peace before he had to go and properly interact with them. He dished up the meal and sucked in a breath to bring himself some courage before he moved through with the plates. 

Kyle stood up to offer help, taking one of the plates for himself as Craig handed another to Jimmy, who was sat in the chair that he had dubbed his King’s chair. It left Craig to sit next to Kyle, but at least being on the edge of the conversation meant he could try and ignore them. 

Jimmy was determined not to let that happen, and constantly asked his opinion on things, even if it would be a short answer. 

Dinner passed, and once the movie ended they decided to turn to playing a game together. Kyle got up to sort it out, insisting that seeing as Craig had cooked he deserved a break. 

“If you want, you can-you can do our dishes, too!” 

Craig scoffed at Jimmy’s suggestion. “Is he always like this? I feel like you haven’t changed at all.” 

Kyle laughed. “Yeah, he’s always like this. Better get used to it.” 

“It’s charming!” Jimmy defended. “The ladies love me.” 

“Wanna have some drinks while we play?” Kyle suggested. 

“I’ll get them.” 

“Oh no, please,” Jimmy pulled himself up. “I will, then you-you can stop your bitching.” 

Craig flipped the grinning face his middle finger. 

Once Jimmy was out the room, Craig found himself left alone in Jimmy’s living room with Kyle, who was still crouched down in front of the TV setting up their game of choice. He stood, dropping a controller where Jimmy was sat, before bringing two over for him and Craig. 

“Here,” he held it out. 

“Thanks.” 

Kyle flopped down on the couch and kicked a foot up to rest on the coffee table. “You’re a pretty good cook.” 

“I really don’t know what I’m doing,” he admitted. “I spend my break times watching cooking videos and not actually understanding them.” 

“It’s working, whatever you’re doing,” Kyle responded with a laugh. “I can always teach you some things, if you want?” 

“You cooked, when I wasn’t here?” 

“Yeah, I did. Mom taught me, so I’ve been cooking for a while, and Jimmy and I spend a lot of time together. When we came to the same city we figured it best we stick together.” 

Craig hummed in acknowledgement. 

“Did you manage to find your way back from the game shop alright?” 

He snapped his head up in order to glare at the redhead, who looked a few moments away from _giggling_. Craig kicked the leg that was stretched across to the table. “Jackass.” 

“It’s a genuine question!” Kyle defended. “They get new stuff in pretty frequently. It’s a good place to visit, and know.” 

“I’ll get there, I’m just not used to cities this big,” he defended. “I’ve got to learn where shit is. And everyone keeps trying to tell me what to do, people at work have such a fucking issue with giving me good places to eat, or shop, or which gay-bars to go to – I’ve been here, like barely a month! I can’t remember all this shit.” 

“One thing I learnt real fast was where not to go,” Kyle admitted. “Jimmy and I wound up in way too many suspicious looking streets and bars when we first got here.” 

“He’s told me about a couple. Pointed them out when he’s dragged me out the flats.” 

“If you let me know the name of a place, I’ll try tell you a bit about it. Don’t want you winding up in a meat-market of a gay bar. Unless that’s your thing, I guess.” 

He snorted. “Thanks, but I don’t think I trust you or Jimmy on that.” 

Kyle shoved him. “Dick, why not? We’re perfectly trustworthy!” 

“I’m not leaving my gay-experience in the hands of two straight men.” 

There was silence. He looked up to see the green eyes narrowed on him, lips pursed as Kyle tried to find his answer. Craig thought it was him trying to find a reason that Craig should let them do it. Probably just for shits and giggles. 

But that wasn’t what he was given. 

“You think I’m straight?” 

Craig stopped at the dry question. “Uh, yes?” 

Kyle raised a single brow. “Well that explains…never mind. I’m not, by the way.” 

He wasn’t sure how to respond to this information. 

A snake-like smile began to creep across the freckled face. “Is that why you’ve been so convinced I was uncomfortable? About the contact-name thing?” 

“Uh…” 

“Dude.” 

He looked away and grit his teeth. 

“I called you _handsome_.” 

“I thought you were just – trying to make me feel better?!” 

“No, I was trying to flirt, though you were so uptight about it that it was kind of difficult.” 

Craig groaned, covering his face with a hand to try hide the colour that was sure to be in his cheeks. “Shit.” 

The low chuckle of the man next to him had him peeking over the top of his fingers. There was something _deathly_ attractive about the way the green eyes looked up through red lashes, lopsided smirk on his face and a cocked brow. There was something deathly attractive about the man generally. 

“Don’t laugh,” Craig muttered through his own smile. “I fucked up, okay?” 

“I’ll forgive you,” Kyle assured. “The way Jimmy talks…it sounds like moving’s been kind of hard on you.” 

“Yeah, I guess. He’s been hounding me to get out and do things outside the flat that aren’t work. But that…hasn’t gone great so far. As you know.” 

“Well, if you’d like, I know the city pretty well. I don’t mind taking you on a tour, rather than giving you directions?” 

He watched the way Kyle turned his eyes down as his fingers picked at an invisible mark on his jeans. Despite his cool, airy tone, there was a pink tint to his cheeks, and his foot bounced with nerves. 

He was nervous. He was nervous about what Craig would say to his offer. It gave him a little bit more confidence, knowing he could get that reaction out of the man, and knowing it wasn’t discomfort. 

“Yeah?” Craig allowed himself to fully revel in the other man, propping himself up with an elbow on the back of the couch, angling his body to face Kyle. “This the kind of tour where you have a full itinerary, or the kind where you take me to a couple of fancy spots to try show off?” 

Kyle gave a somewhat sheepish laugh. “I don’t suppose…itineraries are sexy, huh?” 

“I bet you’d manage to make them sexy.” 

A delightful flush crossed the redhead’s cheeks, along with a sparkling smile at his flirting being reciprocated. Kyle turned to nearly mimic his pose, and drew Craig in even further as they leant together on the two-seater sofa. 

Before Kyle had a chance to speak, they were interrupted. 

“Slow down there, fellas, at least let me put the drinks down and leave the room before you get too personal.” 

They sprung apart and turned to the door where Jimmy was moving back into the room with a six-pack of beers under one arm, one crutch hanging loose. Kyle went to jump up, but the brunette argued him down and passed the drinks to Craig to sort out. 

“So am I still invited, or-or-or should-or should I leave you two alone?” 

Craig cracked open a can and slid it across to the table next to Jimmy’s chair. “Shut up and take your drink.” 

Jimmy dropped out of the games first, choosing to watch the other two for a while before he was practically asleep in the chair. Once Kyle started yawning he checked the time, confirming that he should probably leave given how late it was getting. Jimmy saw them out with a sleepy smile, making sure both of them had their keys and wallets. 

Craig saw Kyle to the front door of their apartment block, sniggering at the way the redhead yawned widely. 

“You gonna be alright getting back?” 

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I’ll be fine. Thanks for dinner. Again.” 

“You can cook next time.” 

A lazy smile spread across his face. “So I’ve been forgiven?” 

Craig’s brow twitched and he failed to keep the smile off his face. “Let’s call it that, yeah.” 

“Even though I didn’t do anything-?” 

“Stop talking.” 

Kyle grinned wide. 

Craig bit down on his smile. 

“I’ll text you, about going out to like, do tour-things?” 

“Yeah,” Craig nodded. “I’d like that.” 

“Great!” the redhead took a few steps back. “It’s a date!” 

He didn’t shut the door until he couldn’t see Kyle anymore. He didn’t stop thinking about Kyle until he was lying flat out on his bed in his second floor apartment, smile dancing on his lips with visions of red eyelashes and glittering smiles. 

**Author's Note:**

> This has been sat incomplete in my folder for absolutely forever and I've been in SUCH a Cryle mood lately I decided to finish it.


End file.
